GP Update – Saturday, 12:50PM Eastern…. Senator Craig Announces Resignation….
“The people of Idaho deserve a senator who can devote 100 percent of his time and effort to the critical issues of our state and of our nation,” said Craig, speaking under a clear blue sky at 10:30 a.m. (12:30 p.m. ET) outside the historic Boise Depot in Idaho’s capital city.
“Therefore it is with sadness and deep regret that I announce that it is my intent to resign from the Senate, effective September 30th.”
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Original Post by GPW:
As I was working on a post about my conversation with a woman from Americans for Truth, I read on the web that Senator Craig announced that he will resign. I understand that this was a tough decision for him to make.
Whie I have been critical of the Senator’s judgment, I do think it unfortunate that, in the future, a man who, by all reports, for over a quarter-century, had diligently worked on behalf of the citizens of the Gem State, will likely be remembered primarily for this one thing.
I believe he is doing the right thing. And hope and pray that this decision will help him find some peace of mind — and the support of his family and friends will make it easier for him to get through this very difficult time.
Democrats have stated unequivocally that they do not want Governor Otter to choose Lieutenant Governor Jim Risch as Craig’s replacement. I can’t think of a better endorsement.
I was one of the first bloggers to call for the resignation of Senator Larry Craig. He probably will resign, but now I wonder if I was too hasty. I assumed there was some verbal solicitation or groping of the undercover policeman, and apparently there was none. It may be more a case of physical clumsiness and bad judgment in pleading guilty. The policeman was totally out-of-bounds in making assumptions about Craig’s character. I may have rushed to judgment. (Note: The policeman said he didn’t care about Craig’s supposed “sexual preference,” itself a loaded and suspect term, but what were the police doing in the men’s room? It now looks like entrapment to me. ) — Stephen R. Maloney
There is something troubling to me about the “sting” nature of this operation — and I might be more sympathetic to the Senator if there had not been allegations against him in the past.
That said, I am sympathetic for his situation now that he has taken responsbility and resolved to resign from the Senate. Just because he exercized bad judgment doesn’t mean he deserves this public humiliation he is now experiencing.
Let us repeat what I said in the post and hope that he finds comfort in the love of his family and close friends.
What I find disheartening in all of this is that someone is having their entire life’s work put through the shredder because it “looks like” he made an inappropriate sexual advance. The fact that the offense is sexual and that people are coming down so hard on him (as they have with others) is deeply troubling. It’s not like he raped, battered, assaulted, molested anyone. He didn’t murder, swindle, exploit, etc anyone. He supposedly made an inappropriate sexual advance. And let’s just say he did it. Why is it is a crime? Inappropriate, yes. A crime? I can’t see it. And the intensity of the reaction by his fellow politicians as well as what I’m seeing by the general public is making me think that this is more about our bizarre love/hate relationship that we have with sex than about anything else.
Well said, JimG, but we also must see this in context of the allegations leveled against him inthe past.
He needed to resign to get the focus off of the Republican Party. Politics is the business of winning and controlling power. He was a flopping mackeral in the middle of the freeway at the time when much of the Republican Senate is hiding in the tall grass and looking for deeper cover.
As has been well noted, Democrats can survive the darnest stuff, but when a Republican “strays” in fact or innuendo, the resulting MSM swarm is direct and unrelenting. That is the price to be paid when the MSM is largely inclined to root for the home team and is dedicated to helping the competing team suffer the worst.
Craig owns this whole mess, but the MSM certainly kept the negative pressure at the fore. I can not imagine they would do the same if it were one of their own.
Why is he being forced to resign? Because of (1) the sheer spectacle of a US Senator admitting guilt to a charge of public lewdness involving solicitation of sex in a public restroom, an airport fer Chrissakes. Consider the Slate reenactment video. Then there is (2) the utter lack of credibility when he denies guilt after the plea is exposed and laughably says “I am not gay.” “The Idaho Stateman” article about Union Station et al didn’t help in this regard either. Finally, there is (3) the personal hypocrisy of his support for the “Defense of Marriage Act” in these circumstances.
Don’t get me wrong. As a straight male I couldn’t care less if he’s gay. But any individual holding high public office should be honest about who they are and steer clear of conduct that is publicly disreputable.
There are tons of other examples of closeted gay politicos having their careers destroyed by similar patterns of furtive public sex and then getting caught. I do think there’s a real element of homophobia in this, but still think these guys should be forced from office because of the public nature of the conduct, i.e. because it disgraces the office. And that isn’t because it involves gay sex. Consider The Fall of Chairman Wilbur Mills in the 1970s.
For the record, I think Bubba should have resigned after he perjured himself about getting fellated by an intern in the White House. And who can deny that Ted Kennedy should have resigned after he drunkenly left Mary Jo to drown in his car after he drove it off a bridge. He should have been prosecuted for negligent or even reckless homicide. But it’s worthless to re-fight those lost battles.
I have more sympathy for Barney Frank staying in office, because he was honest about who he was and admitting to serious mistakes in personal judgment. I can buy that he was betrayed by his boyfriend behind closed doors and didn’t realize the guy was a whoremaster, more easily than I can overlook Craig’s public lewdness, dishonesty and hypocrisy.
Apparently some need to be reminded that, whatever Craig wants to claim or to plead now, he did plead guilty at the time.
You don’t plead guilty by accident. Craig had plenty of time to think about it. He wasn’t tortured into it, certainly. When you have been a U.S. Senator for 25 years, you know the ropes. You know, from having observed the Kennedy family up-close, how very much you can get away with just by hiring a lawyer and a press agent.
I don’t know exactly what Craig did, no. But at am absolute minimum, Craig has involved himself – repeat, he involved himself – in some kind of hideous drama that is the last thing the country needs at the moment. America’s political stage is not, and should not be, “about him”.
Craig absolutely did the right thing in taking himself off the political stage. I hereby praise him for it, and wish him well.
Is this a double standard – that Republicans under serious suspicion such as Craig and Foley should exit the stage, while Democrats hang on and on and continue to burden the country? Absolutely. But it is not an anti-gay double standard. It is not a sexual double standard. It is a reflection of how truly pathetic and hypocritical are the Democrats, and their allies.
(i.e. – Why are Congressman William Jefferson, Barney Frank of the Prostitutes, Kennedy, and for that matter, even Shrillary of the Hushed-Up Campaign Finance Scandals and Perjuring Husband, still with us? – Thank you again, Senator Craig, for having done the right thing!!!)
P.S. – I apologize if I have gotten ahead of myself here, and Craig has not resigned yet. I’m looking for a news article that says he has, and can’t find one!
If Craig hasn’t done the right thing and resigned, then let my above praise of him be held in a kind of mental / moral limbo, until he does.
Yea keep up your membership in the “Conservative party”..the party that HATES you, and wants NOTHING to do with you…the party that wants you to REMAIN in the closet. The party that doesn’t want you to have any rights what-so-ever….there’s nothing wrong with being Conservative…but, these so-called “Conservatives” are NOT Barry Goldwater Conservatives! You people that are part of THIS Party, are equal to Blacks for the KKK.
If Larry Craig is actually gay, sucks that he lived in the closet all his life and felt he couldn’t be an openly gay Republican. He might not have been forced to troll for sex in a public restroom.
Too bad the GOP or conservatives in general aren’t a lot more welcoming of openly gay folks, perhaps they would see a lot less of these kinds of things.
“You people that are part of THIS Party, are equal to Blacks for the KKK.”
Sorry, Pathetic American, but it’s the liberals who gave us DOMA, DADT, anti-sodomy laws etc. Therefore, it’s the LIBERALS who HATE you and want to INVADE your bedroom. It’s the LIBERALS who don’t want you to have any rights.
If you’re honest, you’ll recall the Bush said that he’s opposed to gay marriage, which is the SAME position as HILLARY, KERRY, EDWARDS, OBAMA etc.
Try again, Sad and Pathetic American. We deal in honesty here, not mindless HRC talking points.
**You people that are part of THIS Party, are equal to Blacks for the KKK.**
“you people” snicker. Too funny, but I’m sure he fails to see the humor in his own remark. LOL! Besides, we all know how much the democratic party has done for “you people”.
Anyway, Craig did the right thing and I’m glad to see him go. But I felt sorry for him today. 30 years of service reduced to one event in life. Life goes on. I wish him well.
The Media and the Dems have now set the bar for resigning from Congress. Some may think it is set pretty low. Let see how many sitting legislators can meet the standards. I for one, am all for high standards for our puiblic officials. But high standards and liberals don’t seem to run together. I’ll tell you, there are more than a few leftists in Congress not sleeping too well.
I have been trolling the blogosphere, trolling written intentionally! and those who are relishing in this are as sick as the lowest form of human excrement who started all of this, “blogger” Mike Rogers. As noted in your previous note about the conference you attended, when we are civil and remember that people are involved, not just concepts and or ideas, we would all be better off and not be in a pissing match for points. These social issues are very serious to those who speak out one way or the other. Maybe that is the problem when people try to damn hard to make everything into a 30 second sound bite. Especially where the DDBMSM are involved, always out to make a conservative look at his worst and a socialist their best. And I am glad Sen. Craig did resign and I am especially glad your comments about Sen. Craig and his family.
Okay, so now that Sen. Craig will exit on Sept. 30 and we have all agreed that trolling in the t-rooms is very bad for America, I guess that the homosexists in Ft. Lauderdale will cease and desist their smear campaign against the mayor for trying to STOP THE VERY SAME THING THE MSM HAS BEEN PONTIFICATING AGAINST FOR THE LAST WEEK.
I can only hope, can’t I?
Regards,
Peter H.
Re: #15 to That Gay Conservative. You say that liberals are responsible for anti-sodomy laws. I am curious. Can you elaborate? Thanks.
The reason that Republicans always get it is because Republicans are on the high and mighty horse about morality and family values (exceptions made of course for DINO Naugle and others of his similarity). So clearly, when one of these riders get tagged they are lambasted and impugned. Perhaps this wouldn’t be so if these riders would get off the horse.
Redhand Wrote”
Finally, there is (3) the personal hypocrisy of his support for the “Defense of Marriage Act” in these circumstances.
Did he go to MA and get married to a guy/another woman/boy named sue? Then it’s not hypocritical.
I can push for domestic partnerships and still vote for the DOMA here in Ohio. I can be comfortable around my gay and bi-friends and say the lifestyle is for me. I can want to flog my partner in a D/s relationship and contribute to battered women’s shelters. None of those stances are hypocritical. Neither is having closeted sex on the side and keeping ‘Gay Marriage’ out of the courts’ hands
Foot tapping, a hand running under the divider, where was the actual proposition to engage in sex? The evidence is very flimsy and appears to be blatant entrapment. It is highly unlikely that his appointed replacement will be any friendlier to gay issues.
Considering what his possible intentions were in the t-room and given his previous scandel with males while in Congress, I have to wonder if he was one of the original Boys from Boise. Hearing him protest that he isn´t gay despite his double life, I have to ask the question, if he isn´t gay what is he? A pervert?
Yup, he’s a pervert.
I really, really tried restraint, but I can not hold back. #21 fnin pontificates: “The reason that Republicans always get it is because Republicans are on the high and mighty horse about morality and family values…………….So clearly, when one of these riders get tagged they are lambasted and impugned. Perhaps this wouldn’t be so if these riders would get off the horse.”
This high and mighty horse is called “the Judeo-Christian ethic.” Poor old fnin thinks we can all escape blame, guilt, responsibility by just getting off the horse!!!!! Wow!!! What shall we use as our guiding star? Oh, I know: Michael Moore, KOS, Dunesbury and Bazooka Bubble Gum wrappers. Is there a brain cell in the house?
I would still rather be a hypocrite for not always living up to my values than a self-centered sleaze with no values at all.
but worst of all is to be a self-centered hypocrite and to have low bigot values.
#27 don’t worry, we won’t hold it against you.
News is now reporting he may not resign.
Going both ways joke count down in 5… 4… 3… 2…
The Livewire, it’s become obvious that you and your fellow GayPatriots don’t hold bigotry anyone, or more correctly, against anti-gay bigots. So they pretend to like you. For now.
should be “…against anyone,”
ah, poor arturo, you know me so unwell….
While I’m a deviant, I’m firmly heterosexual. I’ll thank you for the compliment in grouping me with Bruce. Dan, Nick, John, NDT, ILC, and the other more regular (and articulate) posters.
My rural born bigotry of homosexuals died with my passage from ignorant youth to more experienced adult. While I may offend at times (still hoping ILC accepts my apology) it’s never from hatred. Can you honestly say the same?
As to Craig Rumours (i.e. Worldnet daily) seem to indicate his arguement is that he shouldn’t have been arrested as he was travelling to or from congress.
#29-30: “[I]t’s become obvious that you and your fellow GayPatriots don’t hold bigotry [against] anyone, or more correctly, against anti-gay bigots. So they pretend to like you. For now.”
Sort of like the way the DNC treats you and your ilk, arturo?
You know that they despise you when you “leave the plantation.” Admit it.
Tu eres un tonto.
Regards,
Peter H.
Maybe we just misunderstood Senator Craig when he said he was going to resign. He does purport to have a history of people misunderstanding his intentions.
Hey Livewire, isn’t the “traveling to Congress” excuse the same one that Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-Mayo Clinic) said when he was busted for DUI? You know, the excuse that all the Dhimmicrats stood by?
Just sayin’…
Regards,
Peter H.
Livewire, see my reply in the other thread. (The short version: No problem at all.)
I don’t know, to be honest., Peter.
GayPatriot and deviant The Livewire, eres un tonto. At their most benign, social conservatives wish to shame “disordered” homosexuals into therapy. That is bigoted. It is also not good for America. So “patriot” doesn’t describe you either. I suggest this website find a more fitting name.
GayPatriot Peter H, in Spanish the verb conjugates to the specific pronoun, so the pronoun becomes unnecessary and using it sounds amateurish, much like your politics. Your despised DNC, which I care neither way for, is anti-gay enough to attract enough anti-gay social conservatives to win elections. Those you adore need no such pretensions. I accept I was too charitable when I said bigots pretend to like you. It’s more correct to say you pretend they like you.
“Peter H, in Spanish the verb conjugates to the specific pronoun, so the pronoun becomes unnecessary and using it sounds amateurish, much like your politics.”
Oh, really? Excuse me, but when you use the pronoun in Spanish, it merely accentuates your position. You could say “Eres un tonto,” but by putting the pronoun in front, it makes it more so.
TU eres un tonto.
Also, I am not DNC. I am a card-carrying Republican and proud of it. And your comment about “bigots who pretend to like you” just reinforces my beliefs.
Vete, tonto.
Regards,
Peter H.
GayPatriot and tonto Peter H, bologne! The only thing you accenctuate is your unfamiliarity with the language. Now, by capitalizing TU you are not “making it more so”, as you claim, but simply stating it’s TU, as opposed to someone else:
arturo: “eres un tonto.”
Peter H: “no, TU eres un tonto.”
I normally don’t put people down for those kinds of mistakes–it’s admirable to at least try. But all you’ve got is insults and profanities, so you deserve it.
And you don’t get what I said about the DNC.
Go away dummy.
Regards,
arturo f